Facile fabrication of durable superhydrophobic SiO2/polyacrylate composite coatings with low nanoparticle filling

This study aimed to prepare superhydrophobic coatings that could be used for practical applications. Nanocomposites of polyacrylate containing silica nanoparticles were prepared by dispersing silica sol in a polyacrylate solution. Superhydrophobicity was attainable for nanocomposite coatings with a filler percentage of only 15 wt%. Reducing the loading of silica nanoparticles not only minimized the costs but also simplified the preparation. The superhydrophobic coatings with water contact angle as high as 155.4° and contact angle hysteresis of 5.6° exhibited good self-cleaning property. The superhydrophobic nanocomposite coatings also displayed good mechanical properties and excellent thermal stabilities that favor indoor and outdoor applications. The superhydrophobic nanocomposite coatings can be used on various substrate surfaces, including glass plates, polymethyl methacrylate plates, polycarbonate plates, and aluminum sheets. Given their large-scale and low-cost fabrication, superhydrophobic coatings show great promise in practical applications in a broad range of fields.